CORRELATIONAL STUDY BETWEEN SS3 STUDENTS’ CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT AND THEIR SSCE RESULTS IN MATHEMATICS FROM 2013 TO 2015 IN RIYOM LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page        —      –       –       –       –       –       —      –       i

Declaration     –       –       –       –       –       –       –       –       ii
Approval page –       –       –       –       –       –       –       –       iii

Dedication      –       –       –       –       –       –       –       –       iv
Acknowledgement          –       –       –       –       –       –       v
Table of content     –       –       –       –       –       –       –       vi

Abstract          –       –       –       –       –       –       –       –       x

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY –       –       –       1
• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM –       –       –       4
• PURPOSE OF STUDY –       –       –       –       –       5
• SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY –       –       –       6
• RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS –       –       –       –       7
• RESEARCH QUESTIONS – –       –       –       –       7
• DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY –       –       –       7

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CHAPTER TWO

2.0   INTRODUCTION      –       –       –       –       –       –       10

2.1   CONCEPT OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT    –       11

2.2   REASON FOR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

        IN SS 3 IN MATHEMATICS     –       –       –       –       13

2.3   OBJECTIVE OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT-       14

2.4   PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF

        CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT  –       –       –       –       16

• MODE OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT – –       19
• PERFORMANCE OF SS 3 IN MATHEMATICS – 21
• ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT  –       –       –       –       23

• SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW –       –       25

CHAPTER THREE

METHODS AND PROCEDURE

3.1   DESIGN OF THE STUDY –       –       –       –       –       28

3.2   POPULATION AND SAMPLING –       –       –       –       29

3.3   SAMPLING TECHNIQUES       –       –       –       –       31

3.4   INSTRUMENTS FOR DATA COLLECTION       –       31

3.5   VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF

        THE INSTRUMENT –       –       –       –       –       –       33

3.6   PROCEDURE FOR DATA COLLECTION  –       –       34

3.7   METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS –       –       –       –       34

CHAPTER FOUR

4.1   DATA PRESENTATIONAND ANALYSIS   –       –       38

• DISCUSSION OF RESULT –       –       –       –       56

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0   INTRODUCTION      –       –       –       –       –       –       59

• SUMMARY OF FINDINGS – –       –       –       –       59
• CONCLUSION –       –       –       –       –       –       –       60
• RECOMMENDATIONS –       –       –       –       –       61
• LIMITATION OF THE STUDY –       –       –       –       62
• SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER RESEARCH –       63

        REFERENCES –       –       –       –       –       –       –       64

        LIST OF APPENDICES     –       –       –       –       –       67

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the Relationship between SS3 Students’ Continuous Assessment Scores and their SSCE results in Mathematics in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. A sample of two hundred and ten (210) students was selected from seven (7) selected secondary schools where students wrote the SSCE for the past three (3) years (2013 – 2015). The data collected were the scores in continuous assessment and the SSCE grades of the students. The data was analysed using pearson product moment correlation coefficients formula to provide answer to the research questions and hypothesis. The analysis generally reveals that there is a positive relation between the SS3 student continuous assessment and their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in Mathematics. Recommendations and suggestions were finally made for further research.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

• BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Historically mathematics came about as a result of societal need and it is of great importance in the development of the society. Mathematics this day, serves as universal tools towards the advancement of technology worldwide.

Mathematics has been a major subject in determining the qualification of students in higher institution, its serves as a yardstick that guarantees individual students admission, in tertiary institution. Mathematics is one of the compulsory subjects that students most passed it at least at credit level and any other four (4) necessary subjects.

In view of the above, mathematics could be referred to as a marble game of figuring things in a scientific manner, whether practically or theoretically.

Awuya and Gyemang (2008) pointed out that mathematics started when man was a gatherer, hunter and a cultivator of Crops .The need for the early man to know the number of  his herd, find out how much or how many or how much of certain items, brought about the need to count and this is how mathematics began.

Nigerian is changing socially, economically and politically the former system of Education is no longer meeting the individual needs as well as the aspiration of present day society, in other to meet these changes, the federal government deemed it necessary to adopt a new system of education which will encourage self-reliance in the individual and the development of the society. Because of this factor, in 1972 the federal government summoned a conference of Educational experts to look into the report of the curriculum conference which was held in 1969, to formulate a New National policy on Education. After the conference the federal government approved the implementation of both curriculum and the continuous assessment to be used in the National Policy on Education in 1977.This policy defines continuous assessment as the systematic collection of marks or grades over a period of time and their aggregation into a final grade. It is a method of using the record of performance of each individual to help him/her improve on his/her academic achievement, a mean of providing adequate information about student to parents’ guardian or educational authorities. Continuous assessment as defined, is the process whereby test, assignment and projects are used to measure the level at which an instruction is understood by the learner. It is done for a period of time.

In view of the above statement continuous assessment could be defined as an act of judging or assessing the level of understanding of a learner in a particular discipline before examination. Continuous assessment is used to decide whether or not, a student had attained their reading (training) targets. Hence the researcher is looking at the correlation study between SS3 students continuous assessment vis-à-vis their performance in their WAEC Examination through results in Riyom Local Government Council.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The poor performance of Nigerian students in mathematics is a thing of concerned. This affects so many students in gaining admission into higher institution. It is observed that students write WAEC so many times, due to mass failure in mathematics. This reason even tempts students to get involve in examination malpractice there was marginal decline in the student performance, compared to 1974 and some years below that, when summative method of evaluation of examination were conducted. After that the implementation of continuous assessment was implemented and there was a little change, but up to now it does not give out the required standard we need. In view of the problem above, mathematics still remains one of the major subjects that students cannot escape from, therefore, it necessitates this research to critically ascertain the extend of the relationship between SS3 student continuous assessment and their performance in SSCE result in some selected secondary school within Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

• PURPOSE OF STUDY

This study seeks to:

Find out the relationship between the senior secondary three (SSS 3) students continuous assessment and their senior secondary school certificate examination in mathematics.

• To determine whether it is possible to predict the performance of students in senior secondary certificate examination in mathematics from their continuous assessment.
  • SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

        The result, these research will be of great help and benefit to mathematics teachers as well,  it will expose him/her to the effectiveness of continuous assessment to students and to improve the method of implementation of the continuous assessment when necessary, the teachers has a significant impact on the success of the students in the class.

To students on the other hand, it encourages the students to work hard in mathematics and to adjust their learning process in the area of their weaknesses.

• RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

Ho: There is no significant relationship between the continuous assessment of SSS3 students and their performance in SSCE result in mathematics

Hi: There is a significant relationship between the continuous assessment of SSS 3 students and their performance in SSCE result in mathematics.

• RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. Is there any relationship between SS3 continuous assessment and their performance in SSCE result in mathematics?
2. Can students’ continuous assessment in mathematics serve as a prediction to the students performances in mathematics SSCE?
   • DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is restricted to only the performance of SS3 students in continuous assessment and their senior secondary certificate examination (SSCE) for three (3) years from 2013 to 2015. It is to cover only seven (7) secondary schools four (4) public schools and three private schools within Riyom Local Government Area Plateau State. The schools selected are:

• Government Secondary School Kwi
• Government Secondary School Riyom
• Government Secondary School Ra-hoss
• Government Secondary School Rim
• St Andrew High School Ganawuri
• Christian Academic Secondary School Riyom
• Ra-hoss Community Secondary School

The researcher hopes that the findings with the population will fully represent the characteristics of the whole population. The period from 2013-2015 has been chosen because these are resent results that will represent what is obtained today, though this research work is open to further research.